Numerous methods and apparatus for removal of oil spills are well known and established in the art.
In recent years there has been an ever increasing awareness of the devastating environmental damage that can be caused by oil spills. It is well recognized that an extremely important aspect of minimizing damage from an oil spill is the prompt containment and collection of the spilled oil. Effective collection of spilled oil ideally involves the absorption of oil in some absorption medium that can be easily raked or otherwise picked up from the surface upon which the oil has spilled. Nevertheless, despite intensive research and testing, the only absorption substances which are at all suitable for use in cleaning up oil spills involve significant defects or difficulties.
Some conventional oil absorbents currently in commercial use are made from polypropylene. Polypropylene absorbs hydrocarbons but is hydrophobic. That is, it is water repellent. However, polypropylene has a limited oil absorbing capacity, and is not at all biodegradable. Also, polypropylene is quite expensive to use in the large quantities necessary to deal with major oil spills. Other methods for oil removal include using absorbents containing polyethylene films, magnetic materials in combination with polyurethane, such as polyurethane containing iron powder, magnetic separation with magnetite and maghemite, acoustic energy, ultrasonic eneregy, in-situ combustion of oil, polyether containing isocynate end groups, solidifiers, demulsifying agents, surface washing agents and dispersants combination polymers such as viscose rayon, polyamide fibers and small rubber adhering to the fibers.
Yet other efforts require using fish scale powder or biosurfactants such as rhamnolipid as an environmentally friendly and economically viable remediation option. Efforts also include finding other biodegradable oil absorbent materials suitable for cleaning up oil spills. Other biodegradation agents including micro-organisms capable of degrading hydrocarbons, liposomes, bacterial mixtures, enzymes, or fertilizers have been proposed, however, only some of these are commercially viable. For example, peat moss has been used for this purpose. However, in the form in which it is obtainable commercially, peat moss contains a significant amount of impurities such as a sand and carbon. Also, peat moss does not float on water well and is limited in its absorption capacity for oil. For example, one pound of peat moss will absorb about five pounds of oil. In addition, peat moss is not totally biodegradable. Organoclay made by a reaction of smectite clay and quaternary ammonium compound have also been used as oil spill remediation agents.
Another substance which has been tested for its oil absorbent capacity in cleaning up oil spills is a seaweed-based product that is normally sold as a soil conditioner. This product is sold under the registered trademark, AFRIKELP, and is comprised of a blend of selected brown seaweeds found off the southern coast of the African continent. However, this product is rather expensive and has a limited oil absorption capability. Biodegradable remedies for removing oil from spills also include using coconut coir pit, dried corn cobs in their natural state or raw cotton. Other chemical dispersants, gelling agents, inorganic clays, foam plastics, booms, skimmers are also well known in the art.
Most of the existing materials are either manufactured for remediation of oil spills and thus have real costs associated with the manufacture or require harvesting which may be equally labor intensive. Further, existing art does not teach methods and apparatus with a concomitant effect of recycling undesirable waste, which would otherwise occupy landfills.
Accordingly, the need exists for an improved oil remediation method and apparatus that uses discarded recyclable materials, with minimal cost of processing and biohazard for marine life. Of course, the present invention may be used in a multitude of systems where similar oil removal capabilities are desired. Thus, the present invention should not be interpreted as being, limited to application in removal of oil from oil spills.